Workshop 6 - Scientific Investigation Activities in the Classroom
Please remember to check back on the Discussion tab of the previous workshops to review and to respond to any comments that other teachers may have made on your postings.
6.1a Read a blog post on Thinking Like a Scientist.
6.1b Perform a Web 2.0 photo investigation.
6.1c Propose a hypothesis and post to the workshop Discussion tab to "Hypothesis" string.
6.2a Review the nature of science as stated in the Massachusetts frameworks and other standards.
6.2b Read an article about misconceptions.
6.2c Post a response to the Discussion tab about "Scientific Misconceptions" for your grade level and reply to another teacher's posting.
6.3 Edit your Teacher wiki page by creating a Black Box Investigation.
6.4a Research how science works based on grade level by investigating the "Understanding Science" website.
6.4b Post a response to one question about understanding science to the workshop Discussion tab to the"Understanding Science" discussion for your grade level and respond to another participant's post.
6.5 Edit your Teacher wiki page by publishing an inquiry-based investigation (Stage 2 Activity).
Objectives
In this Workshop you will achieve the following objectives:
Content Objectives
Understand the limitations of teaching the simplified, linear scientific method
Understand the relationship between the Nature of Science and commonly held misconceptions about science
Develop a conceptual understanding of how science works
Design a lesson with an inquiry-based scientific investigation
Tech Objectives
Navigate and access information on blogs, websites, and Web 2.0 applications.
Download and add text to a PDF file.
Edit text on a wiki page and be able to insert images and/or embedded Web 2.0 applications.
Part 1: Thinking Like a Scientist
Introduction
What is the nature of scientific investigation?
How do we encourage our students to "think like scientists?"
Many science educators have both thought and written about these questions. For these educators, the use of an inquiry-based method, like you experienced in the lab course, structures a student experience that encourages them to think like scientists.
6.1b Investigation: Then, perform a Web 2.0 investigation on L*u*z*A's full moon photo. What can you find out?
Noche de luna llena - Full moon night
(Photo is embedded from Flickr.com) If you cannot view the photo, because Flickr is blocked in your district, click here. Note that Edutopia used photographs from Flickr.com in the blog post.
6.1c Discussion: After completing the reading, create a posting by doing the following:
Propose one hypothesis on how Edutopia discovered the photo based on your understanding of Web 2.0.
If you are a returning SLC member,find and post a different photo which raises similar thinking about hypothesis and investigation and explain why you chose it.
Post your hypothesis in Workshop 6's discussion board by responding to the Hypothesis post.
Note: If you want to insert links and/or photos into your discussion post, you will need to actually write some code into the text of your message as well as upload the photo to the Wiki. Click here to see the Wikitext Help Page or check out our "Discussion FAQ" page . Give it a try -- it's pretty simple!
Edutopia is an excellent resource and source of information about scientific investigation. Edutopia is a nonprofit educational foundation that advocates for the use of Project-Based Learning and the construction of innovative instructional content. Edutopia also promotes and encourages educators to reflect on the role of emerging technologies that can broaden the impact of the school experience for a diversity of learners. Why not add Edutopia to your browser Favorites or Bookmarks?
Part 2: Understanding the Nature of Science
Science as a discipline has a specific set of content knowledge and conceptual understanding. Working with the ways in which scientists understand and explain the world is an important part of learning about science. Let's think about some essential questions about the nature of science.
What is the nature of science?
How is it different from other fields?
How do we help our students understand science concepts?
What misconceptions must we address in order to help students to understand scientific thinking?
Now let's investigate what others have said about these essential questions....
Reading about the Nature of Science
6.2a
In an effort to answer these questions, first investigate how other educators have defined the nature of science by reviewing the Massachusetts Frameworks statement of the Nature of Science and by looking at other standards relating to science. (This link will take you to a Wiki page with the statement and links.)
Now let's combine your reading with the inquiry approach you've learned in the lab section of this course...
Synthesize 7Es with Understanding about Science Misconceptions
Understanding the nature of scientific inquiry is an important part of this course.
The 7E approach is one way to help students better understand the nature of scientific inquiry. Elicit • Engage • Explore • Explain • Elaborate • Extend • Evaluate
Each of the "E's" is a process step.
Let's learn more about each step.
Read this article by UMass-Boston COSMIC Director Arthur Eisenkraft explaining the 7E approach.
Think about how the 7Es could apply to your classroom.
Then think about Schwartz's article "What's in a Word..." above. She discusses several more important "E" words. Evidence • Explicit • Experiment
Think about the ways in which you can combine these "E's" into your learning and teaching.
Think about the role that prior learning has in helping or hindering scientific understanding.
Consider this: Can you think of ways in which scientific concepts are understood, or not? What can you as a teacher do to help students grapple with their scientific misconceptions?
Now combine what you've read and experienced into a posting about your understanding of science understanding!
6.2c Creating examples of scientific misconceptions
Visit the Misconceptions about Science page on the "Understanding Science -- how science really works" website.
Select 1-3 misconceptions that your planned lesson could address.
Post your synthesis of the reading based on at least one misconception in the Workshop 6 discussion tab as a reply to the "Misconception" posting.
Consider these questions in your post:
What evidence do you have supporting that your students have these misconceptions?
What did you learn from the Misconceptions about Science page about the misconception?
When would be the best time during the year to address the misconception with your students?
3. Read any of the other postings for your grade level and reply to another teacher's misconception's post.
Part 3: Investigating Science Understanding -- Create an Activity Cube Black Box Investigation
Carefully reread the section Introducing nature-of-science concepts and terminology from the Schwartz article.
Adapt the investigation for your students. (15 minute time limit for the student investigation)
Write an objective for the investigation.
Describe the assessment. Note: you may certainly use Web 2.0, but it is not required.
State the task in 1-3 sentences.
Write the steps for the investigation.
List the materials needed.
Download the Activity Cube Template PDF file (on the page below).
Open the PDF file and follow the directions listed to customize the template
.6.3 Post your template instructions for your Black Box Investigation to your Teacher Page.
Be sure to indicate how the template will be used when you are explaining your investigation's steps.
Here is the template.
ws6_act_cube_temp_thumb.jpg
File Not Found
(1.5MB)
TIP -
TO DO THIS SUCCESSFULLY, FOLLOW THESE STEPS: Download the original blackbox template file to your computer AND save it your computer, then make your changes by clicking your cursor on the blue text box and typing in new text/delete old text, then "Save As" the new file with a new file name (see TIP below) to your computer,
and then upload your black box activity cube to this Wiki.
Your downloaded and renamed version should have your edits.
TIP - Save the box with a new name before uploading to the Wiki. Use the naming convention "firstinitiallastname_blackbox_bio2" as the name. For example, "crandall_blackbox_energy". This helps you and us find your personal file again later -- thanks!
TIP - If the blackbox template does not download, check your computer for the appropriate Adobe program. If you do not have Adobe on computer, either download the program or use a computer that does. Click here to find out more about Adobe's Acrobat and Reader programs.
Part 4: Research how science works by grade level.
Reading 6.4a
Click on the graphic above to visit the Understanding Science website. At the site, mouse over the parts of the diagram and then click on the component parts to explore an interactive representation of the process of science.
Then look at "How Science Works" for your grade level.
The graphic images below link directly with the grade level Teacher pages. Click on either the image or the link below to reach your grade level presentation at the Understanding Science website.
Once you arrive at the Getting Started: Tips for Teachers page be sure to download and print the How Science Works flowchart.
The teacher resources are well written and structured. Use the PREVIOUS and NEXT buttons at the bottom of the pages to navigate. We suggest that you take notes as you navigate through the pages
Discussion 6.4b Answer one of these three questions based on an exploration by grade level of the resources on the Understanding Science site to your grade-level"Understanding Science" post in this workshop's Discussion:
How does this graphical representation relate to your experience using the 7E approach?
How could the Science Learning Activity Types (from Workshop 4) be used to promote an understanding of the process of science?
How can Web 2.0 resources be used to promote a collaborative understanding of the process of science?
Remember -- your answer should be posted as a reply to the "Understanding Science" message in the Workshop 6 discussion tab for your appropriate grade level.
The graphic images below link directly with the grade level Teacher pages. The teacher resources are well written and structured.
Use the PREVIOUS and NEXT buttons at the bottom of the pages to navigate. We suggest that you take notes as you navigate through the pages.
Once you arrive at the Getting Started: Tips for Teachers page be sure to download and print the How Science Works flowchart.
Part 5: Build an Inquiry-Based Investigation (Stage 2 Activity)
First, let's take a quick Review of what we've done so far...
Before building an inquiry-based activity that features a scientific investigation let's spend a little time reviewing.
You learned in the first workshop that today's students increasingly rely on Web 2.0 tools and resources to learn and express their knowledge.
You identified MCAS test items that students have difficulty understanding to plan a lesson. (Workshop 2)
You reflected on the importance of Web 2.0 and demonstrated basic skills in editing a wiki. (Workshop 3)
You learned about social media in the physics classroom and researched and designed a short lesson featuring at least one Web 2.0 resource. (Workshop 4)
You explored examples of how Web 2.0 tools can be used to express student knowledge and built your own assessment. (Workshop 5)
Be sure that you understand the distinction between an experiment and an investigation. To review, reread Renee Schwartz's What's in a Word? article above.
Now let's create a Stage 2 Activity...
Creating your Stage 2 Activity
To complete your Stage 2 activity you will build an activity that can be integrated into your final lesson (Workshop 7) featuring a scientific investigation that incorporates some of the Web 2.0 tools you have encountered in the previous Workshops. The time-frame for the investigation should be one class period. The investigation will be posted to your own Teacher Page.
Your investigation activity MUST contain the following:
Objective(s) - statement of learning objectives (what will students be able to do)
Standard - MA curriculum standard
Task - a brief 3-4 sentence statement of WHAT THE STUDENTS WILL DO (you are addressing the students)
Materials - a list of materials and online resources (embed the links to the online resources)
Procedure - description of the Step-by-Step procedure of what the students will do (indicate the estimated minutes for each step)
Grouping - description of how students will be organized (individual or small groups)
Web 2.0 - include at least two Web 2.0 tools or online resources
Your investigation activity should integrate:
(Mis)conceptions - a strategy for addressing a common misconception in order to build a sound understanding of the process of science
Assessment - a form of assessment that uses social media or another Web 2.0 strategy
Your investigation activity lesson might:
require students to use a digital device such as an digital camera or smart phone to record observations
provide an option to complete part of the lesson at home
utilize existing lab equipment
use real world data sets accessed through the Internet
rely on field-based observations, for example visiting a science museum
USE the categories above create a one-period (one class meeting) investigation about your ENERGY topic that incorporates an important understanding with two or more Web 2.0 tools or resources.
This one class period investigation we will call a Stage 2 Activity.
6.5 Posting to your Teacher Page Write your Stage 2 Activity in the space provided on your Teacher Page.
We have posted the categories into the page for you under the heading "Stage 2 Activity." Enter the parts of your Stage 2 Activity under each category.
This Stage 2 Activity can be the basis of your final lesson (your Stage 3 Activity).
TIP - You CAN use the lesson you created in your lab class as the basis for your Stage 2 and Stage 3 Activities. In fact, we encourage this!
TIP - Remember to Save & Continue while you add text to your teacher page. Click the down arrow to display on the wiki toolbar next to the save button.
Conclusion
Thanks! You've completed activities on creating your own one class period investigation activity. This Stage 2 Activity combines digital and in-lab experiences. The next workshop. Workshop 7, will combine all that you've learned into creating a web-based lesson. This Stage 3 activity will use existing web-based resources of applications and your learning from the lab course and online workshops.
Questions or Problems?
We will be facilitating the discussion. TRITEC Director Cathleen Randall is in charge of this workshop. Contact her
through this SLC Wiki or email at crandall@everett.k12.ma.us .
If you need a more immediate response, or if you have a question about how to use the Wiki and/or technical detail,
please contact:
TRITEC Director Bob Simpson through this SLC Wiki or email at robert@simpson3.org
(3 hours) facilitated online
Workshop 6 - Scientific Investigation Activities in the Classroom
Please remember to check back on the Discussion tab of the previous workshops to review and to respond to any comments that other teachers may have made on your postings.
Checklist for this Workshop:
Downloadable version of checklist:
6.1a Read a blog post on Thinking Like a Scientist.
6.1b Perform a Web 2.0 photo investigation.
6.1c Propose a hypothesis and post to the workshop Discussion tab to "Hypothesis" string.
6.2a Review the nature of science as stated in the Massachusetts frameworks and other standards.
6.2b Read an article about misconceptions.
6.2c Post a response to the Discussion tab about "Scientific Misconceptions" for your grade level and reply to another teacher's posting.
6.3 Edit your Teacher wiki page by creating a Black Box Investigation.
6.4a Research how science works based on grade level by investigating the "Understanding Science" website.
6.4b Post a response to one question about understanding science to the workshop Discussion tab to the"Understanding Science" discussion for your grade level and respond to another participant's post.
6.5 Edit your Teacher wiki page by publishing an inquiry-based investigation (Stage 2 Activity).
Objectives
In this Workshop you will achieve the following objectives:
Content Objectives
Tech Objectives
Part 1: Thinking Like a Scientist
Introduction
Many science educators have both thought and written about these questions. For these educators, the use of an inquiry-based method, like you experienced in the lab course, structures a student experience that encourages them to think like scientists.
6.1a
Reading:
Read the Eric Brunswell's blog post, How to Teach Students to Think Like Scientists.
As you read the blog post, consider the following questions:
6.1b Investigation: Then, perform a Web 2.0 investigation on L*u*z*A's full moon photo. What can you find out?
(Photo is embedded from Flickr.com) If you cannot view the photo, because Flickr is blocked in your district, click here.
Note that Edutopia used photographs from Flickr.com in the blog post.
6.1c Discussion:
Note: If you want to insert links and/or photos into your discussion post, you will need to actually write some code into the text of your message as well as upload the photo to the Wiki. Click here to see the Wikitext Help Page or check out our "Discussion FAQ" page . Give it a try -- it's pretty simple!
Edutopia is an excellent resource and source of information about scientific investigation. Edutopia is a nonprofit educational foundation that advocates for the use of Project-Based Learning and the construction of innovative instructional content. Edutopia also promotes and encourages educators to reflect on the role of emerging technologies that can broaden the impact of the school experience for a diversity of learners.
Why not add Edutopia to your browser Favorites or Bookmarks?
Part 2: Understanding the Nature of Science
Science as a discipline has a specific set of content knowledge and conceptual understanding. Working with the ways in which scientists understand and explain the world is an important part of learning about science. Let's think about some essential questions about the nature of science.
Now let's investigate what others have said about these essential questions....
Reading about the Nature of Science
6.2a
In an effort to answer these questions, first investigate how other educators have defined the nature of science by reviewing the Massachusetts Frameworks statement of the Nature of Science and by looking at other standards relating to science. (This link will take you to a Wiki page with the statement and links.)
6.2b
Then, read the article What's in a Word? How Word Choice Can Develop (Mis)conceptions About the Nature of Science (Download PDF 266KB) by Renee Schwartz.
Now let's combine your reading with the inquiry approach you've learned in the lab section of this course...
Synthesize 7Es with Understanding about Science Misconceptions
Understanding the nature of scientific inquiry is an important part of this course.
The 7E approach is one way to help students better understand the nature of scientific inquiry.
Elicit • Engage • Explore • Explain • Elaborate • Extend • Evaluate
Each of the "E's" is a process step.
Let's learn more about each step.
Read this article by UMass-Boston COSMIC Director Arthur Eisenkraft explaining the 7E approach.
Think about how the 7Es could apply to your classroom.
Then think about Schwartz's article "What's in a Word..." above. She discusses several more important "E" words.
Evidence • Explicit • Experiment
Think about the ways in which you can combine these "E's" into your learning and teaching.
Think about the role that prior learning has in helping or hindering scientific understanding.
Consider this:
Can you think of ways in which scientific concepts are understood, or not?
What can you as a teacher do to help students grapple with their scientific misconceptions?
Now combine what you've read and experienced into a posting about your understanding of science understanding!
6.2c Creating examples of scientific misconceptions
Visit the Misconceptions about Science page on the "Understanding Science -- how science really works" website.
Consider these questions in your post:
- What evidence do you have supporting that your students have these misconceptions?
- What did you learn from the Misconceptions about Science page about the misconception?
- When would be the best time during the year to address the misconception with your students?
3.Part 3: Investigating Science Understanding -- Create an Activity Cube Black Box Investigation
Here is the template.
TIP -
TO DO THIS SUCCESSFULLY, FOLLOW THESE STEPS:
Download the original blackbox template file to your computer AND save it your computer,
then make your changes by clicking your cursor on the blue text box and typing in new text/delete old text,
then "Save As" the new file with a new file name (see TIP below) to your computer,
and then upload your black box activity cube to this Wiki.
Your downloaded and renamed version should have your edits.
TIP - Save the box with a new name before uploading to the Wiki. Use the naming convention "firstinitiallastname_blackbox_bio2" as the name. For example, "crandall_blackbox_energy". This helps you and us find your personal file again later -- thanks!
TIP - If the blackbox template does not download, check your computer for the appropriate Adobe program. If you do not have Adobe on computer, either download the program or use a computer that does. Click here to find out more about Adobe's Acrobat and Reader programs.
Part 4: Research how science works by grade level.
Reading 6.4a
Click on the graphic above to visit the Understanding Science website. At the site, mouse over the parts of the diagram and then click on the component parts to explore an interactive representation of the process of science.
Then look at "How Science Works" for your grade level.
The graphic images below link directly with the grade level Teacher pages. Click on either the image or the link below to reach your grade level presentation at the Understanding Science website.
Once you arrive at the Getting Started: Tips for Teachers page be sure to download and print the How Science Works flowchart.
Discussion 6.4b
Remember -- your answer should be posted as a reply to the "Understanding Science" message in the Workshop 6 discussion tab for your appropriate grade level.
The graphic images below link directly with the grade level Teacher pages. The teacher resources are well written and structured.
Use the PREVIOUS and NEXT buttons at the bottom of the pages to navigate. We suggest that you take notes as you navigate through the pages.
Once you arrive at the Getting Started: Tips for Teachers page be sure to download and print the How Science Works flowchart.
Part 5: Build an Inquiry-Based Investigation (Stage 2 Activity)
First, let's take a quick Review of what we've done so far...
Before building an inquiry-based activity that features a scientific investigation let's spend a little time reviewing.Be sure that you understand the distinction between an experiment and an investigation. To review, reread Renee Schwartz's What's in a Word? article above.
Now let's create a Stage 2 Activity...
Creating your Stage 2 Activity
To complete your Stage 2 activity you will build an activity that can be integrated into your final lesson (Workshop 7) featuring a scientific investigation that incorporates some of the Web 2.0 tools you have encountered in the previous Workshops.The time-frame for the investigation should be one class period.
The investigation will be posted to your own Teacher Page.
Your investigation activity MUST contain the following:
Your investigation activity should integrate:
Your investigation activity lesson might:
USE the categories above create a one-period (one class meeting) investigation about your ENERGY topic that incorporates an important understanding with two or more Web 2.0 tools or resources.
This one class period investigation we will call a Stage 2 Activity.
6.5 Posting to your Teacher Page
We have posted the categories into the page for you under the heading "Stage 2 Activity." Enter the parts of your Stage 2 Activity under each category.
This Stage 2 Activity can be the basis of your final lesson (your Stage 3 Activity).
TIP - You CAN use the lesson you created in your lab class as the basis for your Stage 2 and Stage 3 Activities. In fact, we encourage this!
TIP - Remember to Save & Continue while you add text to your teacher page. Click the down arrow to display on the wiki toolbar next to the save button.
Conclusion
Thanks! You've completed activities on creating your own one class period investigation activity. This Stage 2 Activity combines digital and in-lab experiences. The next workshop. Workshop 7, will combine all that you've learned into creating a web-based lesson. This Stage 3 activity will use existing web-based resources of applications and your learning from the lab course and online workshops.Questions or Problems?
We will be facilitating the discussion. TRITEC Director Cathleen Randall is in charge of this workshop. Contact herthrough this SLC Wiki or email at crandall@everett.k12.ma.us .
If you need a more immediate response, or if you have a question about how to use the Wiki and/or technical detail,
please contact:
TRITEC Director Bob Simpson through this SLC Wiki or email at robert@simpson3.org